American voters say 64 - 30 percent that reducing unemployment is more important than
reducing the federal budget deficit, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Even Republicans say 58 - 38 percent that reducing unemployment is more important.

The U.S. remains in a recession, 79 percent of voters tell the independent Quinnipiac
(KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll, compared to 74 percent who felt that way in May and 71
percent who said so in May of 2008, when the economy began its slide.

American voters say 52 - 44 percent the economy is not beginning to recover. Only 23
percent say the economy is getting better, while 31 percent say it is getting worse and 44 percent
see no change. In May, 32 percent of voters thought the economy was getting better, while 24
percent said it was getting worse and 43 percent saw no change.

"The public seems to be reassessing the view held through the winter and spring, when
they thought economic conditions were lousy but could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Now they aren't seeing that light," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac
University Polling Institute.

The good news for Obama is that by 53 - 25 percent they blame former President George
W. Bush more than Obama for the current economic conditions, compared to blaming Bush
55 - 20 percent in a January Quinnipiac University survey.

"When a majority, albeit a small one, doesn't think that the economy is even beginning to
recover; when 79 percent think we are still in recession and 75 percent say the economy is going
nowhere - or going down - it is difficult to conclude that the country thinks the worst is behind
us," said Brown. "Wall Street may be debating whether the country is at risk of a double-dip
recession, but Main Street thinks the original one never ended. So far voters blame Bush more
than Obama, but it's not clear how long that view will last."

While voters want more jobs more than they want deficit reduction, they say 49 - 45
percent that Obama is being irresponsible by spending too much government money. And voters
say 53 - 39 percent that government is doing too many things better left to businesses and
individuals.

There is a political and racial tilt in the numbers: Democrats say 42 - 14 percent the
economy is getting better and see a recovery 66 - 30 percent. Republicans say it is getting worse
41 - 9 percent and not recovering 69 - 27 percent. Independents say the economy is worsening
37 - 18 percent and not recovering 56 - 39 percent.

Only 21 percent of whites, 42 percent of blacks and 28 percent of Hispanics see the
economy improving, while 40 percent of whites, 68 percent of blacks and 52 percent of
Hispanics think the recovery is underway. But, there is no difference by party on whether the
country is in recession, with 83 percent of Republicans, 79 percent of independents and 75
percent of Democrats saying so.

"To a considerable degree, how Americans view the economy and which way it is going
depends on party and race," said Brown. "By comparison, the gender and age and even income
gaps on these questions are smaller."

Voters split 33 - 34 percent on whether Obama's policies have helped rather than hurt the
economy. By 41 - 36 percent they believe those policies will help the economy in the future.

Voters say 30 - 14 percent that Obama's policies have hurt rather than helped their
personal finances. Voters also say 36 - 26 percent that his policies will hurt their finances in the
future, while 35 percent see no difference.

From July 13 - 19, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,181 registered voters nationwide
with a margin of error of +/- 2.1 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the
nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or
follow us on Twitter.

8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling - the
economy?

39. Some people say that President Obama is being fiscally irresponsible by
spending too much government money. Others say President Obama is being fiscally
responsible by only spending money where it is needed. Which comes closer to
your view?

TREND: Some people say that President Obama is being fiscally irresponsible by
spending too much government money. Others say President Obama is being fiscally
responsible by only spending money where it is needed. Which comes closer to
your view?